Greek police fired teargas at hundreds of stone-throwing youths today, in the second day of violent protests to mark the one-year anniversary of the police killing of a teenager.
About 5,000 students, workers and leftists marched to parliament in a show of anger at the killing, which last year set off the worst riots in Greece in decades.
Hundreds of hooded youths broke from the march to hurl stones and sticks at police, damaging cars and bus stops.
"Police are firing teargas at groups of youths throwing stones around the university building in central Athens," said a police official who declined to be named.
About 15 people were detained today, police said. More than 400 were detained over the weekend across the country.
Schools, ministries and tax offices closed down and transport was halted as teachers and public servants walked off the job for three hours to join nationwide demonstrations.
Greece's new socialist government has deployed more than 6,000 police on Athens streets, saying it is determined to avert a repeat of last year's unrest that hit the capital and major cities causing millions of euros of damage.
The riots were sparked by the police shooting of a 15-year-old on December 6th, 2008 and were fuelled by public discontent with the country's economic troubles.
In contrast to 2008 when rioters and looters rampaged unabated for weeks, police said mass detentions prevented more widespread damage this year.
Reuters